WHAT: The unlicensed New York City asbestos and lead inspector admitted in federal court that he faked results for work he never did, potentially endangering tenants in at least seven buildings.

HOW: The 68-year-old lost his city inspection certificate in 2004. He has emphysema and uses an oxygen tank, but he continued to work, claiming that buildings he never visited were free of dangerous toxins.

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WHY IT WAS A BAD IDEA: Prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of four to five years. But a judge warned Todaro that he could be given a longer term, up to 88 years.